LEICESTER face their biggest challenge of the season when they take on Sheffield for a place in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Grand Final at the Hydroscand Arena on Thursday (7.30pm).
The Watling JCB Lions defeated the Tigers on aggregate in an epic contest at the same stage of the competition last year, but this time around the task is far tougher due to the first leg deficit.
Lions were beaten 57-33 at Owlerton last week meaning a huge points chase is on the agenda in the return as they look to reach the 58-point mark – exactly as they did the last time Sheffield were visitors to Beaumont Park in August.
However, in that meeting the Tigers were without their regular heat leaders who are all in their side this time around, and former Lions skipper Max Fricke one again guests for the injured Jack Holder at No.1.
Leicester bring in Paco Castagna at reserve to guest for the retired Kyle Howarth in a position which has proved tricky to fill over recent weeks.
And there is now a further injury blow to contend with as Dan Thompson has been ruled out of the meeting with a dislocated shoulder after a training accident.
The Lions will operate the rider replacement facility, which means all members of the team are entitled to an extra ride.
And manager Stewart Dickson insists his side will give it everything as they look to pull off a big result and set up a Grand Final clash with Belle Vue.
Dickson said: “We’ll be giving it our very best go. We know Sheffield will be strong favourites after the first leg, but we certainly won’t be turning up believing it’s all over.
“If we can get off to a good start, I know how rattled opposing teams can get around here. What we need to go is make a good start, go well in the middle and also to finish well!
“Paco was always our choice as guest for this meeting regardless of the situation, which is no slight at all on Jody Scott after the first leg.
“We’ve struggled to cope without Kyle since he quit, especially when he dropped down to reserve, and it’s been tough to replicate the level of points we would have expected from him.
“Whatever happens it has still been a decent season with winning the KO Cup again and finishing runners-up in the league table, but I know when you get success people want more of it, and sometimes we all need a reality check!
“But we will give it our best shot on Thursday, hopefully get off to a good start and put Sheffield under pressure and see where we go from there.”
The winners of the tie will stage the first leg of the Grand Final against Belle Vue on Thursday October 8, with the title to be decided in Manchester on Monday October 12.
Regardless of whether this proves to be the Lions’ final senior match of the season, there are still two more NDL fixtures to come at the Hydroscand Arena starting with the visit of King’s Lynn on Sunday October 11 (5pm).
LEICESTER: Ryan Douglas, Drew Kemp, Sam Masters, Dan Thompson R/R, Nick Morris, Paco Castagna, Joe Thompson.
SHEFFIELD: Max Fricke, Anders Rowe, Chris Holder, Leon Flint, Josh Pickering, Jye Etheridge, Luke Killeen.
